TEMPTER PIECES
ARTIST STATEMENT:
My work comes from a very spiritual place and my inspiration comes from my philosophical beliefs in reincarnation and my scientific interest in quantum physics and sacred geometry. Creativity and spirituality become ONE in my work. Most of my inspiration comes from my efforts to find scientific proof of my belief “oneness”. Quantum Physics is basically a specialized form of science that studies, explores, and explains how everything in the tangible world comes into existence. Einstein’s discovery proved that ALL things broken down to their most basic form; pure energy which is ONE ENERGY that makes up all things! Everything that exists whether nature, sound, colors, oxygen, thoughts, emotions, etc., exists only as a result of this very SAME energy. Through numerous lives, we complete our life cycle and become spiritually advanced. I keep recording my spiritual journey in my work since there is no time exists other than the present moment, and each moment is vibrant with sensation. Our ability to see and hear depends upon our detection of energy traveling at different wavelengths of vibration. Vision and sound are the products of atomic particles in space colliding with one another and emitting patterns of energy. I simply capture these patterns of energy I experience at the moment of creation and leave traces of my vibration in my work. My studio practice is like a meditation session where divine energies are transmitted to help awaken the spiritual energies within me. Although, my meditative but labor intensive watercolor painting favors repetition of organic patterns, these clean and exact patterns are spontaneous and free-form, one that relies on drawing from my own surges of energy rather than adhering to any kind of structured, premeditated design.
I believe that spirituality meets science somewhere. Spirituality and science used to be one in old days then separated with the advancement of industry. It’s truly amazing, especially in the fields of neuroscience, quantum physics, and quantum mechanics, just how much knowledge our ancient cultures had, regarding the true nature of reality. In many cases, modern-day science is in fact catching up to this ancient knowledge and trying to figure out how we have become who we are now. My series of Micro-universe, Multiverse, Portal, Vortex, and Wavelength are naturally a combination of these fields. These repeated patterns create an optical illusion so they look 3D in a subtle way. At first glance, they might look very still and calm but if you stare at them for a few seconds, they start to move, breathe, vibrate and pulsate. It’s like they become alive with your attention all of a certain. To me, that vigorous life force that comes from this stillness, just like every sound comes from stillness, explains how the universe was formed and still expands. I believe that we exist in multiple dimensions simultaneously. I create my own multiverse and portals to other dimensions in a trans-like state.
I often favor a Mandala form, considered sacred art in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that means “circle” which is an absolute form you can find in nature. I make intriguing dense patterns with circles within the mandala. When you draw a circle, there is no beginning or end. You always come back to the point where you started, just like our life process. Like I am you and you are me, we’re intertwined and interconnected in the ONENESS of the universe. We’re not separated from each other but co-creating every reality together as one collective consciousness. After all, we’re all in the same tapestry. My mandalas, concentric diagrams, have spiritual and ritual significance. They are employed for focusing attention of aspirants and adepts for establishing a sacred space. When making patterns, I often create vortex-like spirals which reminds me of an ancient theory called “Sacred Geometry”. Many forms observed in nature are related to geometry, for example, the chambered nautilus grows at a constant rate and so its shell forms a logarithmic spiral to accommodate that growth without changing shape. These inevitably follow geometrical archetypes, which reveal to us the nature of each form and its vibrational resonances. The repetition of circles and lines in my work represents the cosmic significance of geometric forms. I create personal, safe inner sanctuaries where you come to realization of we’re all ONE in the name of God: One Breath, One Spirit.
BIO:
Born in Seoul, Korea, Kim attended Pratt Institute for her MFA. She is a recipient of the National Korean Art Competition Awards, a Pratt Institute Art Grant and Jersey City Art Council Grant. She has exhibited and participated in art fairs in major venues around the world, including the US, Denmark, UK, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and Australia, and has been lecturing as a guest artist, panel, and keynote speaker at universities and art conferences. Her work has received international critical acclaim in The Wall Street International, The Boston Globe, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Juxtapoz Magazine, The Korea Herald, Artlog and The Korea Daily, Artefuse and Arts Observer, and on WMBC-TV, and she was the subject of a profile in Forbes magazine in 2022. The artist lives and works in New York.
